Life Sciences Commons^™

Adaptation Of The Australian Parastagonospora Nodorum Population To Alterations In The Host, Huyen T T Phan, Manisha Shankar, Darcy A B Jones, Eiko Furuki, Kasia Rybak, Fiona Kamphuis, Hossein Golzar, Richard P. Oliver

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Septoria nodorum blotch (SNB) is an economically important fungal disease of wheat caused by Parastagonospora nodorum. It is primarily controlled by the breeding of resistant wheat cultivars, but experience over the last 50 years shows that new pathogen populations soon evolve that are more virulent on the current popular cultivars. In this study, we assembled a panel of 360 P. nodorum isolates. The collection resolved into eight subpopulations. One core and seven transient populations were found possessing contrasting characters in term of spatial and temporal distribution, mating-type, effector haplotypes and patterns of intact and degraded copies of a Tc-1 mariner …

Carbamate Toxicosis In Carnaby’S Cockatoos (Zanda Latirostris) In A Drying Climate, A Le Souef, Z M. Kissane, David Forshaw, K J. Riley, K Payne, T Hawkins, J Coggins, J M. Shephard, R Vaughn-Higgins, K S. Warren

Climate Science Research Articles

Pesticide exposure poses a growing threat to the health of wild avian populations worldwide. This report documents the first detections of agricultural chemicals in the tissues of wild Carnaby’s cockatoos (Zanda latirostris) in Western Australia. The events, characterised by morbidity and mortality, occurred in a national park near Perth, following periods of elevated summer temperatures over two seasons. Toxicological analysis of liver and digestive tract contents identified multiple pesticides and an herbicide, including methomyl, a highly toxic carbamate insecticide. Hot weather conditions preceding the events potentially increased the cockatoos’ use of alternative water sources for drinking, such as those in …

Fisheries Science Update - Pilbara Demersal Scalefish Resource - October 2026, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Science Updates

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) monitors the status of Western Australia’s demersal scalefish resources by undertaking periodic stock assessments on key indicator species.

This summary provides key outcomes of the 2026 Pilbara red emperor stock assessment (Resource Assessment Report No. 12).

Resource Assessment Report No. 12: North Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource: Pilbara Red Emperor 2026 Assessment, Fabian I. Trinnie, Rubie Evans-Powell, Brett Crisafulli, S. A. Hesp, Ainslie Denham, Dion Boddington, Craig L. Skepper

Resource Assessment Reports

Executive Summary

The North Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource (NCDSR) comprises ecological suites of tropical demersal fish species that occur predominantly in inshore (20–250 m deep) and offshore (> 250 m deep) waters of the North Coast Bioregion (NCB). More than 60 demersal species are landed by fisheries operating in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions of the NCB each year, including higher-valued species, such as red emperor (Lutjanus sebae), goldband snapper (Pristipomoides multidens), rankin cod (Epinephelus rankini), and ruby snapper (Etelis boweni), and lower-valued species, such as bluespotted emperor (Lethrinus punctulatus).

The Pilbara Demersal Scalefish Resource (PDSR) is harvested by the …

Grains, Seeds And Hay Industry Funding Scheme: 2026-29 Strategic Plan, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

Industry Funding Schemes (IFS) are a powerful effort fuelled by industry support and steered by industry stakeholders. The Grains, Seeds and Hay IFS addresses pest and disease threats that pose a high risk to profitability or production into the grains, seed and hay industry in Western Australia.

The Grains, Seed and Hay IFS is managed by an Industry Management Committee, composed of dedicated producers and growers. As a crucial link between industry and government, our IFS collaborates closely with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) who manage the BAM regulation list and deliver impactful programs.

Resource Assessment Report No. 10: Southern Nearshore And Estuarine Scalefish Resource: Sandy Sprat (Whitebait) 2026 Assessment, Daniel E. Yeoh, Brett Crisafulli, Rubie Evans-Powell, Sybrand A. Hesp

Resource Assessment Reports

Sandy sprat Hyperlophus vittatus (‘whitebait’) is a small-bodied clupeid which occurs in temperate nearshore marine and estuarine waters throughout southern Australia. In Western Australia, this species is almost exclusively caught by the commercial sector on the lower west coast, between Perth and Geographe Bay, where it is considered to comprise a single biological stock. Since 2010, sandy sprat has primarily been caught by the South West Beach Net Fishery (SWBN) in the Bunbury region. This is a shore-based fishery which utilises beach seine nets to target a variety of finfish species in shallow nearshore waters.

Commercial catch is monitored and …

Bathurst Burr And Its Control, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Bathurst burr (Xanthium spinosum) is a declared pest in Western Australia (WA). This factsheet describes the nature of the plant, requirements land owners/occupiers must adhere to, control methods, and how to search, detect, and report it.

Bathurst burr is a summer growing annual shrubby plant originating in South America. In south west Australia, some mature plants survive well into winter, with the result that burrs may be found for most of the year. The weed spreads entirely by burrs, which are usually carried by people or animals, attached to clothes, fur, or other fibre by their hooked spines. They may …

Noogoora Burr And Its Control, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Noogoora burr, also known as cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium), is a declared pest in Western Australia (WA). This factsheet describes the nature of the plant with links to requirements that land owners/occupiers must adhere to and control methods.

Native to western United States of America. Locally abundant in parts of the Kimberley, especially near water courses. Occasionally found in the South West region of WA.

State Of The Fisheries: Status Reports Of The Fisheries And Aquatic Resources Of Western Australia 2024/25, Stephen J. Newman, Ainslie Denham, Lebo Selemela, Jenny Moore

Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

The Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of Western Australia (SRFAR) provides an annual update on the state of the fish stocks and other aquatic resources of Western Australia (WA). These reports outline the most recent assessments of the cumulative risk status for each of the aquatic resources (assets) within WA’s six bioregions using an Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) approach. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Dveelopment’s (DPIRD) risk based EBFM framework is the WA Government’s basis for management of all of WA’s aquatic resources.

Assets examined in each bioregion include the meso-scale ecosystems and aquatic …

Cattle Industry Funding Scheme 2024-25 Annual Report, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

The Cattle IFS addresses pest and disease threats relevant to the biosecurity of the WA Cattle industry and currently operates across the whole of WA. The IFS contribution is paid on the sale of cattle (0.20 cents per head/carcass) produced within WA.

Never Say Never: The Interdependence Of No-Till And Strategic Deep Tillage In Sustainable Production Systems, Therese Mcbeath, Stephen Davies, John A. Kirkegaard

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

No-till (NT) farming systems are a defining feature of modern conservation agriculture (CA), providing benefits for soil and water conservation, operational efficiency, and resource use efficiency. However, long-term NT adoption across Australian dryland cropping systems has also intensified inherent and emergent soil constraints, including subsurface compaction, topsoil water repellence, acidity, and nutrient stratification. These constraints limit crop water use and yield potential. In the sandy soils of southern and western Australia, strategic deep tillage (SDT) has been developed in otherwise NT systems to alleviate these constraints. Advances in machinery design and controlled traffic systems have enabled deeper, more effective amelioration …

Ammonium Phosphate Fertilizers Are A More Effective Phosphorus Source Than Superphosphate For Wheat Grown On Acidic Gravelly Soils, Craig A. Scanlan, Raj Malik, Fien Degryse, Andrew Van Burgel, Mike J. Mclaughlin

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Selecting the most effective phosphorus (P) fertilizer source is essential for maximizing crop yields. However, there is little information to guide the choice between the widely used soluble granular sources: ammonium phosphates and superphosphates. The aims of this study were to examine whether there are differences in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain yield response to ammonium phosphate and superphosphate fertilizers in field conditions, and if these differences relate to diffusion of P from fertilizer granules. Two field experiments were conducted on acidic gravelly soils in Western Australia where P deficiency occurs to compare wheat growth response to P applied …

Fisheries Research Report No. 365: Recreational Fishing For Marron In South-West Western Australia In 2026, Claire B. Smallwood, Karina L. Ryan, Eva Lai

Fisheries Research Reports

The smooth marron (Cherax cainii) (‘marron’) is endemic to freshwater dams and rivers of south-west Western Australia. Marron are managed as a single stock within the South-West Recreational Freshwater Resource and are highly vulnerable to overexploitation due to the biological characteristics of the species (e.g., low fecundity, localised populations) as well as environmental (e.g., habitat loss, reduction in rainfall) and human (e.g., fishing, land clearing) pressures on freshwater ecosystems.

Due to this vulnerability, this species has been the focus of research, monitoring and management since the 1970’s. Since 2000, annual phone-recall (2000 – 2021) and online-recall (2022 – 2026) surveys …

Aegic Blogposts - Grain Supply Chains, Ross Kingwell, Peter Elliott

Grain and other field crops published reports

The Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) was an independent, not-for-profit organisation established in 2012 by the Western Australian Government and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). Its core mission was to increase the value and international competitiveness of Australia’s multibillion-dollar export grains industry. AEGIC ceased operation at the end of 2025.

Early in its history between 20 to 30 staff from the former Western Australian Department of Agriculture were seconded to AEGIC. Following the formation of DPIRD, AEGIC continued to receive substantial annual funding support from DPIRD.

This publication is a legacy document containing collated AEGIC blog posts …

Aegic Blogposts - Grain Pricing, Ross Kingwell, Peter Elliott, Chris Carter

Grain and other field crops published reports

The Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) was an independent, not-for-profit organisation established in 2012 by the Western Australian Government and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). Its core mission was to increase the value and international competitiveness of Australia’s multibillion-dollar export grains industry. AEGIC ceased operation at the end of 2025.

Early in its history between 20 to 30 staff from the former Western Australian Department of Agriculture were seconded to AEGIC. Following the formation of DPIRD, AEGIC continued to receive substantial annual funding support from DPIRD.

This publication is a legacy document containing collated AEGIC blog posts …

Aegic Blogposts - Grain Demand In Key Regions And Countries, Ross Kingwell, Sean Cowman, Peter Elliott, Chris Carter

Grain and other field crops published reports

The Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) was an independent, not-for-profit organisation established in 2012 by the Western Australian Government and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). Its core mission was to increase the value and international competitiveness of Australia’s multibillion-dollar export grains industry. AEGIC ceased operation at the end of 2025.

Early in its history between 20 to 30 staff from the former Western Australian Department of Agriculture were seconded to AEGIC. Following the formation of DPIRD, AEGIC continued to receive substantial annual funding support from DPIRD.

This publication is a legacy document containing collated AEGIC blog posts …

Aegic Blogposts - Grain Demand Overview, Ross Kingwell, Paul Meibusch, Jorge E. Mayer, Richard Williams, Peter Elliott, Chris Carter

Grain and other field crops published reports

The Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) was an independent, not-for-profit organisation established in 2012 by the Western Australian Government and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). Its core mission was to increase the value and international competitiveness of Australia’s multibillion-dollar export grains industry. AEGIC ceased operation at the end of 2025.

Early in its history between 20 to 30 staff from the former Western Australian Department of Agriculture were seconded to AEGIC. Following the formation of DPIRD, AEGIC continued to receive substantial annual funding support from DPIRD.

This publication is a legacy document containing collated AEGIC blog posts …

Aegic Blogposts - Grain Demand: Health And Environmental Issues, Ross Kingwell, Nicholas Thorsager, Chris Carter

Grain and other field crops published reports

The Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) was an independent, not-for-profit organisation established in 2012 by the Western Australian Government and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). Its core mission was to increase the value and international competitiveness of Australia’s multibillion-dollar export grains industry. AEGIC ceased operation at the end of 2025.

Early in its history between 20 to 30 staff from the former Western Australian Department of Agriculture were seconded to AEGIC. Following the formation of DPIRD, AEGIC continued to receive substantial annual funding support from DPIRD.

This publication is a legacy document containing collated AEGIC blog posts …

Aegic Blogposts - Climate Impacts On Grain Production, Ross Kingwell, Nicholas Thorsager, David Stephens, Ian Foster, Imma Farre

Grain and other field crops published reports

The Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) was an independent, not-for-profit organisation established in 2012 by the Western Australian Government and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). Its core mission was to increase the value and international competitiveness of Australia’s multibillion-dollar export grains industry. AEGIC ceased operation at the end of 2025.

Early in its history between 20 to 30 staff from the former Western Australian Department of Agriculture were seconded to AEGIC. Following the formation of DPIRD, AEGIC continued to receive substantial annual funding support from DPIRD.

This publication is a legacy document containing collated AEGIC blog posts …

Aegic Blogposts - Grain Industry Productivity, Ross Kingwell

Grain and other field crops published reports

The Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) was an independent, not-for-profit organisation established in 2012 by the Western Australian Government and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). Its core mission was to increase the value and international competitiveness of Australia’s multibillion-dollar export grains industry. AEGIC ceased operation at the end of 2025.

Early in its history between 20 to 30 staff from the former Western Australian Department of Agriculture were seconded to AEGIC. Following the formation of DPIRD, AEGIC continued to receive substantial annual funding support from DPIRD.

This publication is a legacy document containing collated AEGIC blog posts …

Land Condition Standards For The Western Australian Nullarbor Pastoral Region, Peter-Jon A. Waddell, Wayne J. Fletcher

Natural resources published reports

This report outlines the quantitative land condition standards that define acceptable pastoral land condition for the Western Australian part of the Nullarbor, to meet the regulatory requirements of the Land Administration Act 1997 and the Soil and Land Conservation Act 1945.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is developing regional-level pastoral land condition standards for Western Australia as a critical component of the Framework for sustainable pastoral management – revised edition (Fletcher 2022), the purpose of which is to address the Office of the Auditor General’s recommendations to improve the management of pastoral lands in WA …

Resource Assessment Report No. 09: South Coast Crustacean Resource 2045-25 Assessment, Emma-Jade Tuffley, Simon De Lestang

Resource Assessment Reports

The South Coast Crustacean Resource (SCCR) comprises southern rock lobster (Jasus edwardsii), western rock lobster (Panulirus cygnus), crystal crab (Chaceon albus), giant crab (Pseudocarcinus gigas), and champagne crab (Hypothalassia acerba). The resource is accessed primarily by the South Coast Crustacean Managed Fishery (SCCMF), which operates between Augusta in the west and the South Australian border in the east. Since the 2022–23 season, the SCCMF has been managed under an Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) system with Total Allowable Commercial Catches (TACs) set for four quota zones. Recreational fishing retains a small quantity of rock lobster only.

During the 2024–25 fishing season, …

Physical And Chemical Ameliorations Of A Heavy Soil Constrained By Sodicity And Alkalinity For Improving Productivity In The Low Rainfall Regions Of Western Australia, Md. Shahinur Rahman, Gaus Azam Dr

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Heavy soil can be compacted and poorly structured with dense sodic and alkaline (high pH) clay in the B-horizon, which prevents root exploration in the subsoil layer, potentially restricting grain yield in the low rainfall regions of Western Australia (WA) and globally. This study investigated whether loosening of compacted soil layers through deep ripping with or without phosphorus (P) and gypsum addition can increase barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) crop productivity in a 3-year-long field experiment. Soil loosening significantly increased barley root exploration and yield immediately after deep ripping in 2021 and showed no significant difference in 2022 and 2023. The …

Group 2 Herbicides Applied Below Label Rates Constrain The Ornithopus Sativus - Bradyrhizobium Sp. Symbiosis, Benedict Arthur, Tom Edwards, Robert J. Harrison, Emma J. Steel, Graham William O'Hara, Ronald J. Yates

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Pasture legumes are crucial to the sustainability of ley farming systems. They provide a disease break for cereals, nutritious feed for livestock and supply biologically fixed nitrogen (N) for subsequent non-leguminous crops. However, there are frequent observations where biological N‑fixation from the pasture phase is significantly less than expected leading to a N-fixation deficit. Previous field experiments have indicated that the application of Group 2 herbicides contributes to this N‑fixation deficit. Pre-emergent and early-season post-emergent herbicides are applied to avoid early-season weed competition. Group 2 herbicides, inhibitors of the acetolactate synthase (ALS), are widely used in the farming systems of …

Field Trials Report 2025: Wa Farming Systems Project (Daw2204-003rtx), Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Farm Systems and Economics research reports

In 2025 the Western Australian Farming Systems Project continued its program of field trials, from Northampton in the north to Wittenoom Hills in the south, to address our project outputs; investigate diversity within farming systems, evaluate changes in sowing opportunities, identify profitable low greenhouse gas emission options and monitor crown rot following diverse crop sequences.

Sheep And Goat Industry Funding Scheme 2024-25 Annual Report, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

The Sheep and Goat IFS addresses pest and disease threats relevant to the biosecurity of WA sheep and goat industries and currently operates across the whole of WA. The IFS contribution is paid on the sale of sheep and goats (0.17 cents per head/carcass) produced within the state. The Sheep and Goat IFS fund the following programs.

• Virulent Footrot (VFR) Program: The Footrot Control Program (FCP) facilitates the early detection of VFR. This contagious bacterial disease is caused by virulent strains of Dichelobacter nodosus. Early detection of this disease manages the spread and impact through control or eradication.
• Wild Dog …

Recreational Fishing Identification Guide, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Occasional Publications

Please note: this updated version (9th edition) published in June 2026 replaces the version published in 2023.

This guide has been developed to help you identify the more common species in Western Australia that you may encounter. The purpose of this guide is to enhance consistent and accurate species identification.

If you are unsure about a particular species (or if it is not in this guide), please discuss it with a representative of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia. You can access additional information from dpird.wa.gov.au

Throughout this guide you will see all or some of …

Recreational Fishing Location Guide, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Occasional Publications

Please note: this version (6th edition) published in 2026 replaces the version published in 2023.

This guide has been developed to help you identify the fishing locations that you may visit. The purpose of this guide is to enhance consistent and accurate identification of fishing locations and block numbers within each Bioregion. If you are unsure about a particular location, please discuss it with a representative of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia.

Resource Assessment Report No. 07: Shark Bay Invertebrate Resource - 2024 Assessment, Jason How, Inigo Koefoed, Rachel Marks, Scott E. Evans, Sharon Wilkin

Resource Assessment Reports

The Shark Bay Invertebrate Resource (Resource) is accessed by three managed commercial fisheries; the Shark Bay Prawn Managed Fishery (SBPMF), the Shark Bay Scallop Managed Fishery (SBSMF) and the Shark Bay Blue Swimmer Crab Managed Fishery (SBCMF). Additionally, blue swimmer crabs are taken by recreational fishers through a variety of methods, though the overall level of boat-based catch is relatively low (~ 7.8 t). The SBSMF and SBCMF fisheries are quota managed and primarily retain their target species of scallops and crabs, respectively. The SBPMF is an effort-managed fishery that targets brown tiger prawns (BTP; Penaeus esculentus) and western king …

Resource Assessment Report No. 08: Pilbara Prawn Resource - 2024 Assessment, Inigo Koefoed, Rachel Marks, Scott Evans, Sharon Wilkin, Jason How

Resource Assessment Reports

The Pilbara Prawn Resource (Resource) is accessed by three managed commercial fisheries; the Exmouth Gulf Prawn Managed Fishery (EGPMF), the Onslow Prawn Managed Fishery (OPMF) and the Nickol Bay Prawn Managed Fishery (NBPMF). All three fisheries are managed under effort controls, with the EGPMF and OPMF targeting brown tiger prawns (BTP; Penaeus esculentus), western king prawns (WKP; Penaeus latisulcatus), blue endeavour prawns (BEP; Metapenaeus endeavouri), and lesser quantities of banana prawns (Penaeus merguiensis). The NBPMF primarily targets banana prawns while also catching BTP, WKP, and BEP in lower numbers. These fisheries are situated adjacent to one another along the Pilbara …